


In the Glow of the Lights

by FullofWrackspurts



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Feelings Realization, Fluff, Holidays, Minor Sokka/Suki, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-23
Updated: 2020-12-23
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:46:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28257891
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FullofWrackspurts/pseuds/FullofWrackspurts
Summary: Zuko is excited to spend some time with his friends at the holiday fair after a long semester away from home. He isn't prepared for Katara to tell him a secret, or much less for him to discover his own.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 106





	In the Glow of the Lights

Christmas time was always a bittersweet time for Zuko, a feeling that had only grown over the past few years since leaving for college. He stood waiting outside the entrance of the holiday fair. It was well into December, and the cold winter air seeped through his black bomber jacket and red button down. After a semester away at Ba Sing Se University, coming home for Christmas was a straightforward decision, but it wasn't a wholly pleasant one.

It was a Friday night, and the fair was in full swing. A continual stream of bundled-up families and friends moved past him into the festoon of colorful lights and candy cane stripes. As he looked on, he couldn’t help but sigh, letting out a cloud of fog that hung on the air. All around him, parents' gloved hands held the mittened hands of their children. Children hoisted upon their dad’s shoulders, steered the way using the tassels of their father’s trapper hats as guides. Excited energy permeated the air, magical holiday memories awaiting all who entered.

Festivals and carnivals were for families like Sokka, Katara, and their dad. By contrast, his family had spent the past two weeks non-stop to prepare for the large end-of-year company holiday party. This year, his father was confident a smooth event would result in the largest company acquisition yet. That was, so long as everyone did their part. There was no warmth in coming home to his family anymore, not since Uncle Iroh had left for that retirement community.

But he didn’t come home for his family. He came home for the only people who might have kept him from leaving in the first place, his friends.

It was approaching 8 o’clock, the time Sokka and he had negotiated over text the evening prior. Maybe Sokka had sent him an updated ETA. He pulled his phone out of his pocket, but before he could even unlock the screen, someone came from behind him, strong-arming him into a headlock.

“You’ve been keeping us waiting for _weeks_ and you come empty-handed?!”

“Giddofferme,” Zuko said, struggling to wrestle out of Sokka’s grasp. A little winded, he stood upright, readjusting his black beanie. With a chuckle, he added, “Don’t worry. You’ll get your Christmas gifts.”

Toph and Aang came from behind him to stand next to Sokka. Toph wore a bright floral green coat, no doubt a gift from her parents, but altered to better fit her image with enamel pins and a chain affixed to the arm. She stood, hands her hips, face scrunching up in suspicion.

“You seem off. Señor Sparky got you down?”

“Good to see you too Toph,” Zuko said, sidestepping her question. Toph was perceptive as always. Instead, he turned his attention to Aang. “Did you have a growth spurt Aang?”

Aang, dressed in his usual orange hoodie and sky-blue trawler cap, was the youngest of their friend group at 16. His shaved head used to come up to Zuko’s chin, but now, his wide brown eyes were almost level with his.

“I did! There’s so much we have to catch you up on. Toph finally convinced the coaches to consider her for the wrestling team-”

“They thought a blind _girl_ couldn’t possibly wrestle. So, I did a little _convincing_ ,” Toph said with a disconcerting smirk.

Aang continued on not missing a beat, “Sokka has a _job_ now. It’s working for the same fitness studio Suki teaches at, but we’re still proud.” At this he clapped Sokka on the back who puffed out his chest and grinned. “And Katara should hear any day now from college admission offices-”

“Alright, alright. Let’s not overwhelm him,” Katara said, cutting through from behind the group.

She busied herself shuffling through tickets and wristbands in her hands, having apparently volunteered to stand in line for the others. One by one she shoved a ticket and wristband each into the other's’ hands. Aang offered his thanks, but Toph and Sokka snatched theirs out of her hands. Sokka slapped on his wristband and then moved to help Toph with hers.

Finally, having slipped on her own wristband, Katara looked up at Zuko, a genuine smile spreading across her face.

“Hi, Zuko.”

“Hi, Katara.”   
  
He didn’t mean for it to come out so breathless, but she caught him off guard. In her light-blue puffy coat and white pom beanie, brown skin flushed with the cold, the only thought he could form was how well winter suited her.

Even in her expression, there was something about her that was brighter than the last time he saw her. Over the summer, she had been so busy with volunteer work and summer classes that they barely said goodbye before he left. Whatever that brighter something was, it made him avert his eyes in embarrassment.

“So, what should we do first?” Katara asked, turning to the others.

They looked around toward the entrance. Distant sounds of rollercoasters and shouts of children’s delight filled the air. Most people funneled in two of the three directions — towards the food stalls and the carnival rides.

After very little deliberation, Sokka exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air, “First stop - _food_!”

Zuko chuckled. Unlikely friends though they were, this many years on, Sokka’s antics were almost endearing to him, though he’d never tell him that.

Katara rolled her eyes. “You _just_ ate before coming here,” she said.

“OK, but I came here last weekend with Suki. I’ve been craving the roasted sweet potatoes since! We’re getting some,” he said, pouting at his younger sister.

“I’m here for the carnival,” Aang said. Used to the unreliability of veggie options, he generally ate before coming out, anyway. “The goal is to ride every ride before the end of the night! You’ll ride them all with me, won’t you Katara?”

This was a constant theme in their group dynamic — Aang always gravitating towards Katara. Whether Aang's attentions pleased Katara or bothered her, Zuko could never tell.

Katara didn’t reply, a slight frown playing on her lips. Toph cut in.

“Well, I want to do both!”

“No one wants to do the light trail?” Katara asked finally, disappointment clear in her tone.

“That’s _boring_ Sugar Queen,” Toph said in exasperation. “I want to tilt-o-whirl till I hurl!”

Katara wrinkled her nose in distaste and turned to Sokka for support. He was staring with hungry eyes toward the glowing food stalls.

“C’mon, Katara! The rides won’t run all night and we can see the trail on our way out,” Aang said giving her arm a consoling pat.

She bit her lip, no doubt biting back her real opinion. This always irritated Zuko. Next, Katara would feign a smile, acquiescing to the group's whims. No one ever seemed to notice, and she never complained. But Zuko noticed. His mother had raised him with a particular set of manners that kept him considerate of others.

“I think I want to see the lights, too.” The words left his mouth before he could decide whether he actually wanted to see the lights. “You guys go on while we walk the trail.”

Katara looked up at him in surprise. Still, not missing a beat, her face lit up and she seized the opportunity.

“That’s settled then!” she said, grabbing Zuko’s arm as if to pull him in the trail's direction before anyone could protest. “We’ll walk the trail while you guys get some food and meet up at the carnival after.”

Sokka’s eyes narrowed in suspicion as he gave them a once over. Zuko moved his arm out of Katara’s grip.

“Alright, but you two better be back in time for go-karts.” Sokka leaned in, shoving his gloved index finger at Zuko’s chest. “It’s you and me. Best two out of three.”

Zuko laughed in a rush of relief, pushing away Sokka’s hand. With a smirk he said, “You’re on.”

-

They parted ways, Katara and Zuko heading down the least crowded path toward the light trail. While chatting about how the last semester went for him, Katara was attentive and engaged. She followed up asking if he had made any new friends, or if he had learned anything interesting in his International Relations course. Katara was always a good listener.

Near the start of the light trail, there was a small trailer with a big, “Hot Cocoa” sign. Katara accepted Zuko's offer to treat them, and with warm paper cups in their chilled hands, they entered the trail.

At the start of the trail were a series of assorted Christmas trees, sponsored by local schools and businesses. The sponsors had decorated the trees with ornaments ranging from the handmade to the expensive. Zuko had no doubt that Fyre Nation Corp. had sponsored a tree nor that it would be the most ostentatious one on display.

Surrounding them as they walked were families stopped for photos next to their kids’ trees, the children showing off their respective ornaments. Others walked down the lane, arm-in-arm and hand-in-hand. The sounds of laughter mingling with the upbeat 90s boy band Christmas bop drifting down from hidden speakers.

Katara reached across to him, motioning for his cup. He handed it to her without protest, but turned his face to hide his smile in anticipation for what was about to happen.

“Blech!” she exclaimed with a frown. It was a small sip. Sokka wasn’t the only one in their family with a flair for the dramatic. “Why is it _spicy_?”

“It’s Mexican hot chocolate. The spice adds to the richness”

She rolled her eyes, handing it back to him.

“Hot chocolate should be safe! It thought for once you had ordered something impossible to make spicy,” she said.

It was a long-standing point of contention between the two of them. In their friend group, it wasn’t unusual for them to share and trade food. But Katara’s inability to handle lowest levels of spice meant she rarely traded food with Zuko, since he liked most foods as spicy as he could get them.

He took a deep draught of her hot chocolate with two pumps of hazelnut like he ordered. Hers was a sweeter and creamier taste. His eyes fluttered closed savoring the flavor. Sometimes, things _were_ just as good without spice.

They handed their cups back to one another, and he sighed with contentment. Full of the rich warmth of hot chocolate, and surrounded by the bright multicolored lights, he felt relaxed for the first time since coming home.

Until Katara sucked in a breath.

“ _Oh._ ”

It was as he had expected. They approached an all-red tree, with a placard that read _“Fyre Nation Corp.,15th Anniversary Tree Sponsor.”_ There was no way to miss it. The ostentatious tree commanded all attention away from its green counterparts. Gigantic golden baubles weighed down the crimson branches. A garish red and gold ribbon trailed down the sides of the tree. Atop the tree was not a star, or an angel, but a large flaming phoenix, from which the ribbon appeared to emanate like a phoenix tail. Their company mascot felt even more tacky from this view. Even the lights illuminating the tree glowed yellow and orange, rather than the tasteful white or multicolored of its counterparts.

Zuko’s lips curled in disgust. Ozai and his company did nothing by halves.

“It’ll certainly get noticed,” Katara offered.

“It looks like it’s on fire,” he said dryly.

Katara brought her cup to her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh.

They moved on in silence for a time, but Zuko could feel Katara’s furtive glances.

After a while she finally asked, “How is it being back home this time?”

He disliked questions about his family, preferring to avoid them when pressed. But with Katara, he didn't mind it so much.

“Well, Azula is about as thrilled as she is annoyed with me being home.”

Katara tilted her head in confusion at this.

“Without me home, there is more pressure for her to perform since Father can focus all his attention on her. He needs her. But, with me home, she gets relegated to the ‘womanly’ duties. You know: hiring caterers, choosing centerpieces, hosting Father’s business partners’ spouses for brunch.”

“I bet she hates that,” Katara said with a frown.

“You have no idea.”

He wished his father would throw his energies into Azula and move on. She was the one who wasn’t a constant disappointment. Zuko had accepted that fact when he went away for school, in part thanks to his uncle’s guidance. At that moment, they passed a boy, no older than 9 with dinosaurs on his coat. He was holding hands with his little sister, pointing at the lights, making sure that she didn’t miss anything. That’s how siblings _should_ be.

“You know Azula and I are partners this year in Ms. Feng’s class?” she asked, suddenly.

Azula had _not_ mentioned that. Ms. Feng’s Community Services and Mentorship class, while great school interview fodder, was infamous for its grueling year-long partnered project. Zuko had been lucky enough to take that class with Sokka.

“Sorry, to hear that.”

She laughed at that and he smiled a bit to himself.

“It hasn’t been so bad, actually. For the most part, she gets down to business, no small talk, no slacking. It’s made it any easy partnership to navigate,” she said.

“Azula appreciates effort and commitment, which you have in spades. So, I can see how it might not be a terrible partnership, all things considered.”

He tried to imagine Azula and Katara together. Would it be Azula bossing Katara around? No, that wasn’t right. Katara directing Azula? That definitely wasn’t right.

“Yeah, she’s just a bit…” she trailed off.

“Intense?” he offered.

“I was going to say Type A but both are apt.”

They laughed and walked on a bit more. The dulcet tones of, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” filled their comfortable silence.

“She mentioned you the other day, actually,” Katara said with a smile in her voice. “Usually, she pretends you’re of no relation to her.”

Well, that was interesting.

After draining the last of his hot chocolate, he said, “Did she?”

“She warned me against distracting you while you’re home, and ensuring you don't distract me from our project work over break.”

Surprised, Zuko didn’t know how to respond. Why would Azula think he’d distract Katara? If anything, he was the next most responsible in their rag-tag group.

“More specifically she said, _‘You know, Zuzu has been moping around since getting back like a pathetic puppy not being able to see you. This event is important to the future of our family blah blah so stay out of the way. And don’t you let_ him _get carried away and distract_ you _from meeting the deadlines with our project!’_ ”

Katara giggled, proud of her own impression. He had to give her credit, it was a solid impression of Azula, down to the threatening scowl. It was clear that Katara had taken his sister’s warning to mean that she and their friends should not be a distraction to him. But he knew Azula. Her word choice was no accident. He tried to laugh along with her despite the heat crawling up the back of his neck at the implication.

After draining the last of her drink, she grabbed his now empty cup to deposit in a nearby trash bin. He took the moment to try to let Azula’s warning roll off him. Azula always lied to get her way. Regardless of her word choice, it was more likely a play to goad Katara into getting the work done.

-

Rounding the corner, there was a new section of trail, with a banner that read, “The 15th Annual Sculpture Competition.” Framing the trail on either side were snow and ice sculptures on either side. Some were no taller than Katara and some were the size of a small building. Down toward the end of the pathway, was a massive ice sculpture. Zuko couldn’t quite make it out from this vantage point, but could tell by the crowd gathered, that it served as the main attraction of the competition.

Kids ran sculpture to sculpture fueled by bellies full of hot chocolate and the general magical atmosphere. Couples and families huddled with selfie sticks aloft, trying to capture the memories.

Katara clapped her hands in delight, eyes lighting up like those of the children running around. Zuko’s lips quirked in a smile at the cute gesture.

They meandered down the path of sculptures, often stopping at Katara’s request to take a photo. Sometimes she took them by herself, with Zuko serving as her photographer. Other times she pulled him in for a selfie with her.

Zuko didn’t love taking pictures. He had never been able to overlook the scar on his face from “the mishap” that he and his family never discussed. But for Katara he tried to bear it, because she didn’t care about his scar. As she’d tried to impress upon him before, during some of his worse days, she had always only seen him.

After a streak of impressive ice sculptures, they came to a large snow sculpture. Despite it being three times Zuko’s size, he couldn’t help but brighten at the sight of the adorable turtleduck. Growing up, his mom had gifted him a plush turtleduck (the same plush turtleduck that was currently tucked away in the safety of his apartment).

Katara caught sight of his unabashed grin before he could hide it.

“I’ll take a photo of you!”

Zuko was already shaking his head, moving to grab the phone to offer to take her photo instead.

“Just stand in front of the sculpture, Zuko,” she said in that Katara way that let Zuko know there was no room for argument.

Zuko cast a glance around. He preferred taking photos with others if he was going to take any at all. Being the subject of photos wasn’t something he did.

“ _Please_ ,” she asked, her eyes looking up at him, eyes wide.

Any of the rest of his friends he would have walked away. They were persistent, but he was stubborn. But with a sincere _“Please,”_ from Katara, was there anything he wouldn’t do?

Shuffling to the front of the sculpture. Unsure of what to do with his hands, he shoved them into the pockets of his jacket. He glanced around for clues on a better pose. A dad bent down behind his toddler, pinching his cheek. A few feet away, a couple of teenage girls were taking a selfie with duck faces.

“C’mon, just smile!” Katara encouraged. The smile came with ease seeing her white pom-pom beanie and loose waves of brown hair peeking out from behind the phone. “V!” she called.

He held up a peace sign, as directed. The shutter sounded, and he scurried away from the turtleduck. He always felt anxious that he looked ridiculous — the scarred boy daring to take a photo.

Katara reviewed her handy work. As he leaned in to get a better look at the screen she said, “You’re so cute.”

The words were spoken full of warmth as she stared down at the phone screen. Her expression was fond. The words were directed at him, about him, as she stared at a photo of him. Something inside of him was unraveling and he felt a trickle of panic as he desperately tried to grasp back onto it.

“Do you wanna see?” she asked, holding up the phone for his inspection.

His lopsided grin favored the unscarred side of his face, as it always did. There were bits of hair that stuck out from under his black beanie strewn about his face, cheeks tinged pink from the cold. The only cute thing about the photo was the turtleduck sculpture looming behind him in his opinion.

He nodded and nudged the phone back towards her.

“Hold on a sec,” she said, giving the phone a few more taps.

She grinned, showing him the new screen, a mischievous glint now in her eye. His updated contact photo glowed back at him. He groaned.

“You know if the others see it, they’re all going to want to change my contact photo too.”

She shrugged. “Too bad. It’s mine. If they wanted a picture, they could have come.”

With a huff she turned on her heel, starting again down the path. He smiled to himself. That was his favorite version of Katara, fierce and a little punchy.

They had reached the end of the sculpture walkway. Ahead, the path diverged around the ice sculpture Zuko had noticed before. Now he could see that it was a sculpture of two koi circling each other. The sculpture had carved the ice to encircle them in the shape of a splash of water. The sculpture had used direct lighting to give one koi a bright glowing effect. The other was unlit, but carved in such a way that it refracted the minimal light around it into glittering rainbows, almost like a crystal.

“Yin and yang,” Katara murmured.

Several couples posed around it, snapping photos. It was unclear whether the couples gathered around the sculpture because of its sheer size and beauty or if they understood the underlying metaphor.

They stood for a few moments, in awe of the sculpture, when an older woman in a green knit shawl approached them.

“Would you mind taking our picture?” Her trembling curved fingers held out an outdated digital camera to Katara. Behind her stood a tall older gentleman in a tweed flat cap.

Katara took the camera from her with gentle hands and a smile. Zuko stood to the side as he watched Katara take a couple of photos. She had captured the moment when the woman looked up at her partner with an expression of pure admiration. He wondered if they were recently married, instead of a couple with decades of shared life between them.

After taking the photos, the woman kindly held her hand out to Katara who looked at it in confusion for a moment.

“We’d be happy to take a photo of you two, as well.”

Zuko opened his mouth to protest. Judging by the fair-goers around them, this definitely seemed to be a couple’s photo op, not one for two friends. But he stopped himself as Katara smiled at the woman and accepted. She shot him a look of warning - don’t turn away elders’ kindness.

They positioned themselves in front of the sculpture. Zuko threw his arm around her as he would any of their other friends, but Katara had embraced her role for the woman taking the photo. She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him, resting her hand over the buttons of his red shirt. She was so close he could feel the fuzz of her beanie tickling his chin. A familiar lilac scent overwhelmed his senses. His heart was pounding, and he could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks. He hoped against all probability that his face didn’t come out red in the photo.

The moment was fleeting; over in a literal flash. To Zuko’s disappointment and relief, Katara pulled away. Taking her phone back from the woman she thanked her.

“What a lovely couple you both are,” the woman said, her smile crinkling the corners of her twinkling eyes. “Oh, to be so young…”

She trailed off with a faraway smile, taking her husband’s hand. They looked at each other with knowing smiles and walked off without another word

“They were so precious,” Katara said wistfully, her phone clutched to her chest. “I hope I can have something like that when I’m their age.”

She was completely unaware of the effort he was exerting inside of himself, trying to wrangle his emotions back into their rightful place. He still wasn't sure what had become undone inside of him, but he knew he needed to fix it and fast.

“Mmm. The picture did turn out nice. We should put it on Christmas cards or something,” she said with a chuckle, tilting the phone so he could see it.

His cheeks were indeed stained red, but it could just as well again be from the bracing cold. Katara was beaming. In the photo, they were indistinguishable from any of the other couples milling around the trail.

He tore his eyes away, worried that if he looked any longer, he might not be able to avoid naming the feeling rolling around inside of him any longer.

Instead, he gave a noncommittal grunt and moved to continue down the path to the right of the sculpture. Katara, like the rest of their friend group, were accustomed to his mood swings. He rarely took advantage of them in this way, but he wanted to put as much distance between them and that sculpture as he could. He looked for something unrelated to the trail and that sculpture to talk about, something to recenter himself.

“So, you should be hearing about your college applications soon.”

“Should be,” she said vaguely, looking down at her feet and placing her hands in her coat pockets.

“Sokka says you’re still not caving,” Zuko said, prodding her with his elbow.

It had frustrated Sokka for months because Katara refused to tell any of them what schools she had applied to. Their group assumed that she had applied to the local university, the same that Sokka attended. Any other schools were a mystery. Aang and Toph assumed that another must be the same specialized school Suki attended.

_“Sokka’s probably worried that if Suki hangs out with Katara more, she’ll start to like her more and him less,”_ Toph would point out with a laugh. Zuko and Aang didn’t disagree.

“Nope. He’ll find out when I’ve been accepted and have decided just like everyone else,” she said jutting her chin out, ironically just like Sokka did when he was being stubborn.

He nodded, not wanting to push any further. Any more pushing would end with her shutting down the conversation altogether.

As the path rejoined behind the koi sculpture, they could finally see what lay at the end of the trail. Katara gasped, and they came to a halt. Ahead, was a long tunnel of blue and green lights. It almost looked like a glittering cavern. As they moved closer, Zuko could make out the row of tall trees that lined each side of the trail and the hundreds of strands of Christmas lights wrapping white-barked trunks. Their branches arced overhead to form a canopy from which more lights hung in a net-like pattern, some dangling into the artificial tunnel.

Immediately upon entering, lights cast them in an ethereal blue-green glow. Zuko had never seen anything like it. As the other couples and families meandered around them heads pivoting around in amazement, he imagined they hadn’t either.

After a few moments of awed silence Katara spoke again.

“I haven’t told anyone where I applied because I didn’t want to get everyone worked up, in case it comes to nothing.”

She spoke so quietly that he had to move a step closer to hear her, their jacket sleeves now brushing against each other.

Careful to not scare her away from the subject altogether he said, “If you’re that nervous, you must really want to go to this school.”

She nodded fervently and turned to him, eyes shining.

“Since last year, I’ve been working and studying to get whatever edge I can on my GPA, all because I had the mad idea to apply.” She bit her lip for a moment, considering her words. “This school has a fantastic medical program, the best in the region. One professor is a cardiologist whose work has been revolutionary in the emerging study of circulatory therapy.”

Listening to her, it was clear to Zuko that wherever this was it was where she needed to be. He wished she had opened up about it sooner. He would have done what he could to help. His father knew plenty of people on boards and alumni to prestigious schools. Not that she would have accepted the help, but he would have liked to offer.

“And they have a shuttle service called the Appa Express, I think. It takes students out on excursions into the city nearby. Not to mention, I’d also have— Well, anyway. The more I think about it the more excited I am about the whole prospect.”

Slowly, the dawning realization came that this school sounded remarkably familiar. He didn’t want to press, but he could feel her watching him form the connections.

“When you told us you were going to BSSU, I remember being really upset. It was one thing for you and Sokka to graduate, but this would mean that everything really was changing. At the time, that had felt like such a bad thing.” She stared ahead, her gaze far off as she recollected. Then turning back to him, she continued, “But now, after watching you actually do it, I realize there are so many possibilities beyond what is here. I don't think I should close myself off to them. So... that’s why I applied to Ba Sing Se,” she finished, sheepish.

Stunned, he took a moment, his mind racing. Of course, he hadn’t thought it was a foregone conclusion that she would attend the local university like Sokka had. He thought it was possible that she might venture an hour away to the technical university with the stronger science program. Never did he think she might venture 6 hours away. 6 hours away, _with him_.

“W-wow,” was all he could say, was all he trusted himself to say right now.

Voice trembling with either nerves or excitement, she continued.

“At first, the idea scared me. With you gone, it had always felt like something was missing in the group. I didn’t want to do that to Sokka or my dad. But watching you grow and succeed despite your family’s doubts and your father’s disapproval...” She grabbed his arm pulling them to a stop and turning to face him. “I’m just so proud of you, Zuko. You made me realize that when the people you care about leave, if you’re proud of what they’re doing, is it really so sad to miss them?”

Zuko’s mind had come to a full halt. The people around them faded into a hazy background as The Carpenter’s, “Merry Christmas Darling,” played somewhere far beyond the space and moment they occupied now. Looking down at Katara’s earnest and open expression he felt full. When was the last time anyone had said they were proud of him? Maybe Uncle Iroh on the day he graduated? When had anyone looked at him the way Katara was looking at him now? Her blue eyes made brighter by the canopy of blue and green lights reflecting off them, searched his. Her expression was passionate, hopeful, and her brow creased lightly with worry, as she waited for his response. He was so touched. What _could_ he say?

The wind whipped through the tunnel, the overhanging lights swaying above their heads. It blew her hair around her from beneath her white knitted hat, a tendril of hair fixing itself to her lips. She moved to swipe it away, but Zuko’s hand, of its own accord, was there first, gently tucking the lock behind her ear. She didn't drop his gaze.

“A-are you upset that I stole your school?” she asked anxiously, doubt flitting across her features.

The feeling he had tucked away and tied up for so long, unbeknownst to even himself, was solidifying in his mind. It had a name now, and he knew he was in trouble. But at this moment, he didn’t care about any of that. She was proud of him and wanted to go to _his_ school. A smile spread across his face, crinkling his scar in the odd way that he usually hated. He didn’t care about that either.

“You’re going to get in,” and as he said it with such conviction, somehow he knew it was true. “You’re one of the hardest working people I know. When you set your mind to it, there’s nothing you can’t do. And it sounds to me like you’ve set your mind on this.”

She let out a breath in a whoosh of air; the fog billowing around them, relief plain on her face.

“Are you sure?”

“I’d bet the Jasmine Dragon on it,” he said, his voice laced with his own pride for her.

She broke into laughter and swatted at him, whatever remaining tension in her shoulders releasing.

“That’s not yours to bet. Uncle Iroh would have a fit.”

“I’m sure he would agree, though,” he said, smiling even wider. Then he added, smile faltering, “I’ll bet whatever you want me to on it.”

His heart, he was betting his heart on it.

“Hmm how about a deal instead?” she asked with a thoughtful expression, but he saw the glint in her eye. “If I get in, you have to come down to celebrate. If I don’t, you’ll have to come down anyway to comfort me, since no one else will know.”

“Easy. I would have done that, anyway.”

At this, she snorted in disbelief, but he knew embarrassing or not, that it was the truth. She looped her arm into his continuing with her stroll. The glow of the surrounding lights was nothing to the glow of happiness that was exuding from them. The people around came back into focus, oblivious to the happy shift between them.

With excitement they chatted about the school, making plans. They agreed to a visit in the spring so he would give her a proper tour. And assuming Sokka came around to the idea by then and everyone's schedules lined up, they could make it into a whole spring break trip.

They were nearing the end of the tunnel, when Aang came jogging from the opposite direction. It occurred to him now, that Zuko was still smiling from Katara’s admission. He let his face fall into its usual indifferent gaze. Katara winked at him, a reminder of their new secret that sent flutters down his spine, as Aang approached them.

“There you guys are! The go-karts are only operating for one more hour and Sokka is getting antsy.”

Aang looked between them before glancing down at their linked arms. Again, whether Katara noticed Zuko didn't know, but she released his arm all the same, shooting a smile at Aang.

“Can’t keep Sokka waiting, can we?” she said with a slight roll of her eyes. “Let’s go!”

They hurried away from the light trail. Zuko watched the back of Aang’s head trying to feel bad, knowing how hard he would take the news. News that would in-the-end be delivered by an unsuspecting Katara. He tried to feel bad for him and the rest of his friends, but he can’t. Because he knew that next year he would be coming home for the holidays, _with_ Katara.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope y'all enjoyed this little holiday fic! I actually have a conclusion in mind but am very busy over the next two weeks. Would y'all want to read a final holiday themed part early in the New Year??? :)


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